Waste incinerator



Aprii 1%? F. s. MALICK WASTE INCINERATOR.

FiLed Dec. 9, 1963 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Franklin S. Mulick WITNESSES mum -BY 7 MY United States Patent (3 3,313,253 WASTE INCHNERATUR Franklin S. Malick, Monroeville, Pa., assignor to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Dec. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 329,044 7 Claims. (Cl. 110-8) This invention relates to a device for disposing of combustible waste materials, such as trash, garbage and stuff ordinarily gathered and set aside for collection, and more particularly to the reduction of this material to a clear odorless gas with a minimum of ash.

Appliances known as incinerators for the disposal of waste by burning are conventional, but these are generally fired by gas and require substantially elaborate installation arrangements including hot gas disposal means, such as chimneys. In accordance with the present invention, the device may be housed as a unit which can be placed among other conventional household units, such as Washers and dryers, and requires no more hot gas disposal duct means than a bit of plastic tubing, such for example, as that required by the dryer, and that is needed more to avoid overheating the room in which the disposer is installed than for any other reason, for the gaseous product of combustion coming from the present device is a clear odorless gas less than two hundred degrees Fahrenheit in temperature.

In accordance with the present invention a combustion chamber, in which the oxidizable material is used as one wall thereof, is provided with electrical means installed therein to induce combustion of this material. A supply of fresh air is piped into the combustion chamber to maintain combustion at the face of the mass of material and a vent is provided to exhaust the chamber of the products of combustion. A temperature, within this chamber, sufficiently high to reduce these products of combustion to a colorless and odorless gas is maintained and this gas is vented, cooled, partly by dilution with cool air, and expelled in the same manner as the heated air of the conventional clothes dryer. While an afterburner, as in conventional incinerators, could be provided for burning smoke and other gases externally of the combustion chamber, for purposes of efliciency all combustion is made to take place Within the combustion chamber where a temperature to eliminate smoke and odor is maintained, and hence, no afterburner is needed. By way of example, a temperature of fifteen hundred degrees Fahrenheit has been found to be sufiicient to eliminate smoke and odor.

A feature of the invention is the inclusion of a means to form the waste material into a compact and imporous plug and to confine the combustion thereof to the one face of the plug which acts as one Wall of the combustion chammber. For this purpose a compacting means to apply pressure to the top of the mass of waste material in the trash bin is provided. This may take any one of many conventional forms, for example, a jack screw, but has been shown herein as an air tight bag of rubberized material which may be inflated from some conventional source of air pressure. This pressurized rubber bag, together with other details of construction, is the subject matter of co-pending application Ser. No. 347,886 filed Feb. 27, 1964, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The expansion of this bag acts as a bellows or as a piston means to crush and compact the waste material and to force the compacted and imporous plug always toward the combustion chamber. This bag must be air tight so that no air will be provided at the top or back of the plug to sustain unwanted combustion at any point of the plug excepting on the bottom face thereof which forms the one wall of the combustion 3 ,313,253 Patented Apr. 11, 1967 ice chamber. Hence the plug becomes a heat insulator since combustion thereof is held to the bottom face and sufiicient heat cannot reach the pressure bag to damage it.

The inflatable bag is fixed to a cover for the said trash bin so that it may be deflated and the cover removed to charge the trash bin with more waste. Gasket means must be provided along with clamping means to render the trash bin air tight before the bag is again inflated.

A feature of this invention, which renders this device superior to conventional incinerators, is the high temperature combustion of the face of the plug whereby closely compacted stacks of paper, such as in magazines, may be consumed without difliculty. Since combustion of the oxidizable material only takes place on the surface and in no manner depends on the movement of air through the plug, the compacted mass of material and stacks of paper, in themselves imporous, constitute a heat insulator whereby the trash bin remains cool.

Another feature of the invention, set forth hereinbefore but now emphasized, is that the device provides a means to reduce oxidizable material to substantially a clear and odorless gas with a minimum of ash whereby its operation does not constitute a neighborhood nuisance. The smoke and odor of a poorly operated incinerator can become seriously objectionable so that the present device, operated electrically and without constant attention, by employing temperatures insuring the elimination of smoke and odor, is a superior device.

Still another feature of the invention is the arrangement whereby the trash bin may be charged while the device is in operation. With the trash bin adjacent to the combustion chamber and the plug of compacted material, in itself imporous, forming a seal at the one face of the combustion chamber, the compacting means may be retracted and the cover removed for a short time without having combustion creep up along the sides of the bin. Put in another manner, the rate at which ignition along the edges of the plug next to the walls of the trash bin might take place would be so very slow that sufficient time is available to recharge the trash bin in comfort by the operator and without danger of sustaining a burn.

Another feature of the present invention is the arrangement whereby no exterior part of the device becomes hot enough to burn the operator. No part of the trash bin becomes heated and the combustion chamber is completely insulated. The ducts used ot exhaust the combustion chamber of hot gas are insulated at least up to the point where dilution air is introduced to be mixed with the hot gas being taken from the combustion chamber. From the operators point of view, the hot spot is completely buried and inaccessible so that this area of very high temperature is neither a personal nor a fire hazard.

Another feature of the invention is the provision of a completely air tight trash bin whereby any source of air behind the burning plug of oxidizable material is avoided.

Another feature of the invention is the use of a combustion chamber wherein all combustion takes place, thus concentrating all the heat in a single area where it may react with the face of the plug to cause the continuous combustion thereof. It has been noted hereinbefore that no afterburner is employed mainly because it is intended that all combustion take place where the heat generated thereby may be usefully employed. It must be emphasized that combustion does not take place by forced draft through the combustible material as in conventional incinerators. Instead, combustion takes place at the surface of the plug of combustible material as the air comes in contact with the combustible gases driven from the plug surface by the heat radiated onto the surface from the uniformly heated combustion chamber. The gentle flow of air which is brought into the chamber does not cause holes or depressions to be burned into the face of the plug. However, enough turbulence is maintained in the chamber to insure the impingement of fresh air against the carbon face of the plug. This air produces carbon monoxide gas which in turn is burned lower down in the chamber. The combustion is not only of the volatile gases from distillation which are extracted from the face of the plug, but also from combustion of this carbon monoxide.

Another feature of the invention is a means to halt the movement of the plug of compacted material at the threshold of the entrance into the combustion chamber. Thus, as the compacting bag or other materialadvancing mechanism pushes the material down into the trash bin toward the combustion chamber, the movement of the material is halted precisely at the threshold so that its face becomes a Wall of the combustion chamber. One of various means which may be employed for this purpose, and which by way of example is disclosed herein, as well as in the aforementioned copending patent application Ser. No. 347,886, is a grill of sheathed resistance heaters which thus serve the double purpose of electrical heating means and a barrier to stop the movement of the plug at the precise point where it will serve as a wall of the combustion chamber. Combustion of the compacted mass of material then takes place over the surface of this wall.

Other features will appear hereinafter.

The drawings consist of a single sheet having a single figure, which is a diagrammatic view generally in cross section showing the various components of the invention and their relation one to another.

A combustion chamber 1 is fashioned substantially of insulating material 2. The top of this component is open so that it may register with the open bottom of the sheet metal trash bin 3. At the junction of the combustion chamber 1 and the trash bin 3, there is a grill or grid constructed of a plurality of sheathed resistance heating units 4, 5, 6 and so on, so that when oxidizable material 7 is placed in this trash bin it will be halted in its downward movement and form a face at this point. Placed within the trash bin 3 is an inflatable bag 8. When a gasket or seal 9 is placed over the edge of the bag 8 and a cover it) clamped thereover, the trash bin becomes air tight so that no air can move downwardly through the material 7. A pipe 11 supplies air under pressure whereby the bag 8 is inflated and the material 7 is compacted into an imporous mass which through distillation and carbonization at the lower face thereof becomes even more impermeable. The compacted imporous mass of material therefore becomes a heat insulator and a seal which protects the bag 8 and keeps the lower portion of the trash bin cool and flameless so that this does not become a personal or a fire hazard while adding loose waste to the top of the compacted mass.

The reduction of this material to a clear and odorless gas is achieved by combustion only over the lower face of this plug of material. The electrical means, herein shown as sheathed resistance heaters 4, and 6, is used to ignite the face of the plug and to maintain the temperature necessary for the reduction of the material to a clear and odorless gas when the combustion fails to provide enough heat, as would be the case with wet material. It may be noted that this temperature is substantially fifteen hundred degrees Fahrenheit. After the lower face of the compacted material has been ignited, combustion is maintained by the supply of oxygen in the form of fresh air through the pipe 12 and the electrical heaters are thereafter used only if the temperature drops below l500 F.

The gaseous products of combustion are exhausted from the combustion chamber 1 through a pipe 13. The gas is cooled by admission of diluent cool air from the source 15 and thence exhausted by the fan 16 through the ducts 14 and 17. A number of valves 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 are provided to seal off all air from the combustion chamber so that the fire may be extinguished when desired. For eflicient and economical operation, all combustion must take place within the combustion chamber so that whereas afterburner means might be placed within the insulated duct 13 as in conventional gas fired incinerators, the present electrical incinerator is adjusted to insure complete combustion within the chamber 1 with the flow of only inert gas through the duct 13. It should also be noted that the fresh air through the inlet pipe 12 mixes with the gas distilled from the face of the material 7 within the combustion chamber 1 and the heat generated by radiation from the chamber walls which are at a high temperature as well as by convection. It is intended that the incoming fresh air shall create turbulence within the combustion chamber 1 without being directed against the bottom of the plug, thereby avoiding burning holes deep into the plug of material. It is intended that combustion over only the face of the material at the junction of the combustion chamber and the trash bin shall take place.

It should be noted that at the temperature maintained in the combustion chamber, the combustible material is almost completely reduced so that a minimum of ash is produced. This may be periodically removed by any conventional means. A pipe 21, shown herein, may be used to flow water into the combustion chamber so that such ash may be flushed down a drain 23.

It may further be noted that the exhaust gas is generally less than two hundred degrees so that the exhaust duct 17 may be similar in construction to the exhaust means conventionally used for the household clothes dryers.

What is claimed is:

1. A waste incinerator device comprising,

combustion chamber means in which combustible waste material introduced thereto burns following ignition and in the presence of combustion air;

a waste material storage bin having an inlet for accepting loose waste material and an outlet open to said combustion chamber means;

waste compacting means for compacting waste within said storage bin into an imporous plug having a leading face urged into exposure to the interior of said combustion chamber means;

the several aforesaid means being so constructed and arranged that the inlet to said storage bin is accessible for introduction of loose waste material into said bin while an imporous plug of previously-compacted waste material therein is in interposition between such loose waste material and said combustion chamber means;

heater means for igniting said leading face of said plug while exposed to the interior of said combustion chamber means and for supplying heat, in addition to heat created by combustion of such plug, to maintain a temperature in said interior adequate to support complete combustion conditions therein;

exhaust duct means for exhausting gaseous media from the combustion chamber means to the exterior of the device; and

air supply means for introducing air into said device for support of complete combustion insaid combustion chamber means and for cooling gaseous media exiting from said exhaust duct means.

2. The waste incinerator device of claim 1,

wherein the one function of said air supply means is for cooling gaseous media exiting from said exhaust duct means to a temperature less than 200 F.

3. The waste incinerator device of claim 1,

wherein the air supply means includes means for introfurther including means for sealing the combustion chamber means off from access to combustion air whereby combustion of waste material within the device can be halted.

5. The waste incinerator device of claim 1,

wherein the combustion chamber means consists of a single combustion chamber in which all combustion Within the device takes place. 6. The waste incinerator device of claim 5,

wherein the one function of said heater means is for supplying heat, in addition to heat created by combustion of said plug, to maintain a temperature of substantially 1500 F. in said combustion chamber, as a temperature adequate to support complete combustion conditions therein.

7. The Waste incinerator device of claim 1, further comprising means for removal of ash from the device.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 214,799 4/1879 /Vood 126-223 224,683 2/1880 Harper 126223 248,391 10/1881 Baum 126-223 322,737 7/1885 McClure 126223 2,598,067 5/1952 OBrien 110-18 2,663,362 12/1953 Ransome 158-7 2,693,774 11/1954 Knowles 11018 2,932,713 4/1960 Powers l1018 2,979,897 4/1961 Studhalter et a1. 15850 X 3,150,619 9/1964 Brucken et a1. 110-8 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. H. B. RAMEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A WASTE INCINERATOR DEVICE COMPRISING, COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS IN WHICH COMBUSTIBLE WASTE MATERIAL INTRODUCED THERTO BURNS FOLLOWING IGNITION AND IN THE PRESENCE OF COMBUSTION AIR; A WASTE MATERIAL STORAGE BIN HAVING AN INLET FOR ACCEPTING LOOSE WASTE MATERIAL AND AN OUTLET OPEN TO SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS; WASTE COMPACTING MEANS FOR COMPACTING WASTE WITHIN SAID STORAGE BIN INTO AN IMPOROUS PLUG HAVING A LEADING FACE URGED INTO EXPOSURE TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS; THE SEVERAL AFORESAID MEANS BEING SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT THE INLET TO SAID STORAGE BIN IS ACCESSIBLE FOR INTRODUCTION OF LOOSE WASTE MATERIAL INTO SAID BIN WHILE AN IMPOROUS PLUG OF PREVIOUSLY-COMPACTED WASTE MATERIAL THEREIN IS IN INTERPOSITION BETWEEN SUCH LOOSE WASTE MATERIAL AND SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS; HEATER MEANS FOR IGNITING SAID LEADING FACE OF SAID PLUG WHILE EXPOSED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS AND FOR SUPPLYING HEAT, IN ADDITION TO HEAT CREATED BY COMBUSTION OF SUCH PLUG, TO MAINTAIN A TEMPERATURE IN SAID INTERIOR ADEQUATE TO SUPPORT COMPLETE COMBUSTION CONDITIONS THEREIN; EXHAUST DUCT MEANS FOR EXHAUSTING GASEOUS MEDIA FROM THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS TO THE EXTERIOR OF THE DEVICE; AND AIR SUPPLY MEANS FOR INTRODUCING AIR INTO SAID DEVICE FOR SUPPORT OF COMPLETE COMBUSTION IN SAID COMBUSTION CHAMBER MEANS AND FOR COOLING GASEOUS MEDIA EXITING FROM SAID EXHAUST DUCT MEANS. 